Wire-tightener.



Patented Nov. 20, I900.

W. A. SHORT.v

WIRE TIGHTENER.

(Application (No Model.)

'gether at their ends 3 and 1, which are enlVILLlAM ANDRE\V SHORT, OF PUTNAM, TEXAS.

WIRE-TIG HTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 662,101, dated. November 20, 1900.

Apphcation tiled July 28,1900.

T at whoiit (It? um concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ANDREW SHORT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Putnam, in the county of Callahan and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Wire-Tightener, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wire-tighteners.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire-tighteners and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one adapted to be readily mounted on a fence-post and capable of being readily adjusted to suit the size of the same and of stretching a fence-wire partially around the post and of holding the fence-wire in such position while it is being secured by a wire-tie placed around the back of the post.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a wire-tightener constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the same applied to a post and engaging a fence-wire.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both figures of the drawings.

1 and 2 designate arms or bars pivoted tolarged and perforated for the reception of a pivot 5, and the said cars, which are circular, are provided at their peripheries with notches 6 and 7, adapted to receive a wire to enable the substantially V-shaped frame formed by the arms or bars to operate a wire-cutter.

The arms or bars 1 and 2 are provided at their engaging ends with forks 8 and consisting of oppositely-disposed curved projections forming open eyes or recesses and adapt ed to receive a fence-wire, as clearly illustratedin Fig.2 of the accompanying drawings.

The bars or arms 1 and 2, which are adapted to straddle a fence-post, are capable of being opened and closed, whereby they may be adjusted to any fence-post, and the bar or arm 1 is provided near its engaging end S with an eye 10, consisting of a closed hook and receiving one of the end links of a chain 11,

Serial No 25,177. (No model-J which is adapted to be passed around the back of a fence-post 12 The eye is lo cated at the outer face of the arm or bar 1, and the other arm or bar 2 is provided at its outer face with a projectionor pin 12, adapted. to engage the links of a chain to hold the latter at the desired adjustment.

The arms or bars 1 and 2 of the lever-frame are engaged with the fence-wire 13 at opposite sides of the fence-post when the said lever-frameis in an upright position, and when the lever-frame, which is fulcrumed on the post by the chain, is swung downwardto the position illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings the wire is forced backward at opposite sides of the post and is partially stretched around the same. The wire-tightener is held in this position by a brace 14 while a wire-tie 15 is being placed around the back of the post and issecured to the fencewire by having its terminals twisted around the same. The brace 14 consists of a rod hinged at its end 16 to the arm or bar 1 and having its other end 7 forked and pointed for engaging the fence-post. The end 16 of the brace is provided with an eye which is linked into an eye 18 of the arm or bar 1, and the said rod or brace is adapted to fold against the arm or bar 1 to arrange the parts compactly when the device is not in use. The bars or arms 1 and 2 are also adapted to fold closely together when the wire-stretcheris not in use.

The forks 8 and 9, which form the notches or recesses at the engaging ends of the arms or barsl of the lever-frame, are adapted to be readily engaged with and disengaged from the fence-wire, and they will slip freely on the same in stretching the wire around a post, so that the wire will not be broken while stretching it.

It will be seen that the wire-tightener is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it possesses great strength and durability, and that it is capable of being readily adjusted to a fence-post and of stretching a fence-wire partially around the same and of holding it in such position while the wire is being fastened by a tie.

What I claim is- 1. A wire-tightener comprising the leverframe composed of two arms hinged together at one end of the frame and provided at their other ends with means for engaging a fencewire at opposite sides of a fence-post, and a flexible connection attached to the arms and adapted to be passed around the back of the post, whereby the frame is fulcru med thereon, substantially as described.

2. A wire-tightener comprising a leverframe composed of two arms hinged together at one end of the frame and provided at their other ends with means for engaging a fencewire at opposite sides of a fence-post, a flexible connect-ion attached to the arms and adapted to be passed around the back of the post to fulcrum the frame thereon, and a brace connected with one of the arms and adapted to engage the post, substantially as described.

3. A Wire -t-ightener comprising a leverframe composed of two arms hinged together at one end of the frame and provided at their 'other ends with means for engaging a fencewire at opposite sides of a post, said arms being adapted to fold together, a flexible connection between the arms, and abrace hinged to one of the arms and adapted to fold against the same, substantially as described.

&. A wiretightener comprising a lever frame composed of two arms connected at one end of the frame and provided at their other ends with forks for engaging a .fencewire at opposite sides of a post, a flexible connection attached to the arms and adapted to be placed around the post, and a brace connected with the frame and adapted to engage the post, substantially as described.

5. A wire-tightener comprising a leverframe composed of two arms connected at one end of the frame and provided at their other ends with means for engaging a fence- Wire at opposite sides of a post, a flexible connection adapted to be placed around the post and connected with the arms between the ends thereof, and means for holding the leverframe in its adjusted position, substantially as described.

6. A wire-tightener com prising a leverframe composed of two arms connected at one end of the frame and provided at their other ends with means for engaging a fence-wire at. opposite sides of a post, one of the arms being provided with a pin or projection, a chain attached to the other arm and adapted to be placed around the post and engaged with the pin or projection, and means for holding the frame in its adjusted position, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM ANDRE W SHORT.

Witnesses:

J. K. CEUTHET, B. F. BRITTAIN. 

